The goal of substantially enhancing the infrastructure for biomedical research at UTEP has been achieved with the establishment and full operation of the Biostatistics Unit and the three core facilities of the Cell Biology Unit. Recruitment of three new faculty with outstanding research credentials has amplified the University's expertise in cell and molecular biology. All BBRC participants have published research or submitted manuscripts for publications during year 2, and all have submitted individual grant proposals, with one of whom received an R29 grant. Progress toward the goal of establishing a doctoral program in Biological Sciences is ahead of schedule. A formal proposal will go to the State Coordinating Board for Higher Education early this Fall. If favorably acted upon, the program could be in place by September, 1995. Current projections are that when fully operational, the doctoral program will have approximately 20 students in training for the Ph.D degree, half or more of whom will be from Mexican American and other minority populations. This will achieve the project's third goal of increasing the number of under represented minorities in the biomedical research community.